Vital Observations

Question 1

Where can an oxygen saturation probe be placed?

Answer 1

Finger, nose, toe, earlobe and forehead.

Question 2

What does an oxygen saturation probe monitor?

Answer 2

The % of haemoglobin that is saturated with oxygen.

Question 3

What can affect an oxygen saturation reading?

Answer 3

Nail polish, cold temperature and dirty sensors.

Question 4

What can influence blood pressure?

Answer 4

Age, sleep, activity, emotion and running

Question 5

What is systolic blood pressure (top)?

Answer 5

Measures the force of blood when your heart contracts, measuring peak force of blood.

Question 6

What is diastolic blood pressure (bottom)?

Answer 6

Measures when the heart relaxes between beats. The force on the walls of the arteries as the heart reflexes and refills.

Question 7

Which artery do you place the stethoscope over when taking blood pressure?

Answer 7

The brachial artery.

Question 8

What part of the body controls temperature?

Answer 8

The hypothalamus.

Question 9

Which ways can you take temperature?

Answer 9

Tympanic (ear), nasopharyngeal (nose), esophageal (oesophagus), rectal (anus), axillary (armpit), sublingual (under tongue), buccal (cheek), temporal artery (forehead).

Question 10

What are the most common ways to take a child’s temperature?

Answer 10

Tympanic (ear) and axillary (armpit).

Question 11

What is a normal capillary refill time?

Answer 11

2 seconds or less.

Question 12

How long do you apply pressure to the nail bed when checking capillary refill time?

Answer 12

5 seconds.

Question 13

What factors can prolong capillary refill time?

Answer 13

Age, cold surroundings, poor lighting, reduced tissue perfusion, hypovolemic shock, circulatory disease and dehydration.

Question 14

Capillary refill time assess’ peripheral perfusion, what is this?

Answer 14

Blood flow to the tissues in the extremities.

Question 15

What is a pulse?

Answer 15

Pressure wave of blood caused by alternating expansion and recoil of arteries during each cardiac cycle.

Question 16

How many pulse points does the body have?

Answer 16

8.

Question 17

What pulse points are usually used for a child and a baby?

Answer 17

Carotid=child, brachial=baby.

Question 18

What can a pulse indicate?

Answer 18

A base measurement to monitor fluctuations.

Question 19

What does a pulse rate show?

Answer 19

How fast the heart is beating.

Question 20

What does the rhythm of the pulse show?

Answer 20

Sequence of beats, regular or irregular.

Question 21

What does the amplitude of a pulse show?

Answer 21

Strength of pulse: weak, faint or pounding.

Question 22

What is a respiration rate?

Answer 22

Observation of inspiration and expiration over 60 seconds.

Question 23

What can respiration rate indicate?

Answer 23

Early indicator of acute illness, monitor fluctuations,

evaluate treatment.

Question 24

What is the function of respiration?

Answer 24

To ensure that the tissues and cells of the body receive sufficient oxygen to support the process of aerobic metabolism and the removal of carbon dioxide, the waste product of metabolism.

Question 25

What is the difference between external and internal respiration?

Answer 25

External = exchange at capillary level, internal = metabolism at cellular level.

Question 26

What does the rate of respiration show?

Answer 26

The type/quality of respiration.

Question 27

What does the depth of respiration show?

Answer 27

The volume of air moving in and out the lungs.

Question 28

What does the pattern of respiration show?

Answer 28

Changes in pattern are often due to problems with the brain.

Question 29

What are accessory muscles in respiration?

Answer 29

The muscles not used in normal breathing, used to increase lung expansion, sign of distress.